For example, as disclosed in Japanese patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-136271 (Patent Reference 1), the conventional staple refill in which the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is stored has a refill which is detachably attached to a stapler main body or a cartridge provided in the stapler main body. The refill includes a storage portion in which the sheet-like connected staple is stored, a discharge port which discharges the sheet-like connected staple stored in the storage portion, and a delivery passage which delivers a leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple stored in the storage portion to the discharge port. The delivery passage is formed in a substantially linear shape, and is formed along a lower surface in the storage portion. A metal backward movement preventing member which is formed independently of the refill is attached to an upper portion of the delivery passage. In the sheet-like connected staple, many linear staples are arrange in a crosswise direction while being in contact with one another, and a bonding agent is applied to an upper surface to couple the staples in a band shape. Further, the sheet-like connected staple are caused to adhere in the center of the upper surfaces in the lengthwise direction by an adhesive tape, which prevents the linear staple from being separated. The sheet-like connected staple is wound in a roll shape while the upper surface faces the outside, and the sheet-like connected staple is stored in the staple refill.
In the conventional staple refill in which the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is stored, the sheet-like connected staple is stored in the storage portion of the refill such that a leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple is located in a lower portion of the storage portion, and the leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple is linearly stretched along the lower surface of the storage portion and the delivery passage. When the leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple is delivered from the discharge port by feeding means such as a feeding pawl or a feeding roller provided in the stapler main body or the like, the whole sheet-like connected staple is placed on a drawn-forth portion which is linearly drawn. Therefore, there is a problem that a weight of the sheet-like connected staple is applied to the feeding means as a load. In drawing forth the sheet-like connected staple, because the whole sheet-like connected staple is moved forward, the sheet-like connected staple abuts on an inner surface of the storage portion, and the larger-than designed load is applied to the feeding means due to friction action, which results in the problem that it is difficult for the feeding means to feed the leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple.
In the conventional staple refill, the backward movement preventing member slides on the drawn-forth portion which is linearly drawn. When the sheet-like connected staple is drawn forth on the discharge port side, the backward movement preventing member is bent in the discharge port, and the drawing-forth of the sheet-like connected staple is not obstructed. On the contrary, when the sheet-like connected staple is drawn back toward the storage portion side, the backward movement preventing member is latched in a connecting recess portion between the staples of the sheet-like connected staple, which prevents the drawing-back of the sheet-like connected staple. Thus, the backward movement preventing member always slides on the sheet-like connected staple. However, when contact pressure is excessively strong in the slide, the load applied onto the feeding means for feeding the sheet-like connected staple is increased. On the other hand, when the contact pressure is excessively weak in the slide, drawing-back resistance of the sheet-like connected staple is decreased. Therefore, there is the problem that the backward movement preventing member is difficult to adjust.
The feeding means is pressed to latch the lower surface of the sheet-like connected staple, and the sheet-like connected staple is fed forward. As described above, the bonding agent is applied to the upper surface and the adhesive tape adheres to the center of the upper surface toward the lengthwise direction. In the conventional staple refill, the backward movement preventing member slides on the upper surface of the sheet-like connected staple to which the bonding agent is applied. Therefore, the backward movement preventing member does not behave well in some cases because the backward movement preventing member slips. Further, the backward movement preventing members slide on both sides of the sheet-like connected staple across the adhesive tape, and there is a possibility that the sheet-like connected staple is bent when one of the backward movement preventing members does not behave well. There is also the problem that both the backward movement preventing members are difficult to adjust so as to behave well in the same manner. Further, because the backward movement preventing member is produced independently of the refill, the a labor hour is required to attach the backward movement preventing member to the refill, and the adjustment is required in the attachment of the backward movement preventing member as described above. Therefore, there is the problem that the backward movement preventing member cannot easily be installed in the refill. In the conventional staple refill, because the backward movement preventing member made of a metal material is installed, it is necessary to separate the backward movement preventing member into each material in disposal, which results in the problem that the disposal of the backward movement preventing member becomes troublesome.
In the conventional staple refill, when the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is stored in the storage portion of the refill, the whole outer surface of the sheet-like connected staple is stored while being in contact with a bottom surface of the storage portion. When the sheet-like connected staple is drawn toward the discharge port side, because the whole outer surface of the sheet-like connected staple is rotated while sliding on the bottom surface of the storage portion, the frictional resistance is increased, which results in the problem that the load applied onto the feeding means for feeding the sheet-like connected staple becomes large.
In the conventional staple refill, the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is stored in the storage portion of the refill, and the sheet-like connected staple is oscillated in the storage portion during transportation, which results in the possibility that the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is released. Further, in the opaque refill, the inside of the refill cannot be seen, which results in the problem that a state of the sheet-like connected staple and a remaining amount of sheet-like connected staple cannot be confirmed.
In view of the foregoing, a first object of the invention is to provide a staple refill, in which the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape can be stored in the storage portion of the staple refill while the leading end portion of the sheet-like connected staple is located in the upper portion of the storage portion and the load applied onto the feeding means of the stapler main body can be decreased because the sheet-like connected staple is not placed on the drawn-forth portion which is drawn and fed. A second object of the invention is to provide a staple refill, in which the delivery passage is curved upward from the discharge port toward the inside of the storage portion, the backward movement preventing member is formed in the delivery passage, the backward movement preventing member is inclined downward to weaken the latching force when the sheet-like connected staple is fed, and the backward movement preventing member is inclined upward to strengthen the latching force when the sheet-like connected staple is drawn back, and thereby the adjustment of the backward movement preventing member is not required.
A third object of the invention is to provide a staple refill, in which the backward movement preventing member slides not on the upper surface of the sheet-like connected staple where the bonding agent is applied and the adhesive tape adheres, but on the lower surface of the sheet-like connected staple with which the feeding means of the stapler main body is made in contact, the sheet-like connected staple can securely be latched, the backward movement preventing member can slide in the center of the sheet-like connected staple, and thereby the possibility that the sheet-like connected staple is fed while being bent is eliminated. A fourth object of the invention is to provide a staple refill, in which because the backward movement preventing member is integrated with the staple refill, the labor hour for attaching the backward movement preventing member to the staple refill is eliminated, and the staple refill can easily be assembled.
A fifth object of the invention is to provide a staple refill, in which a projection strip sliding on the outer surface of the sheet-like connected staple wound in a roll shape is provided in the storage portion of the staple refill, a contact area with the outer surface of the sheet-like connected staple is lessened to decrease the frictional resistance, and thereby the rotation of the sheet-like connected staple can be smoothed. A sixth object of the invention is to provide a staple refill in which there is formed an opening that can be utilized in order to press the sheet-like connected staple stored in the storage portion of the staple refill so as not to move and that allows for confirmation of the inside the storage portion.